NFL

Hollins played a large role for the Patriots due to his willingness and ability to block in the run game, something that isn’t likely to be made up for outside of a drastic shift to heavier rates of 12-personnel. Austin Hooper could see a significant role the rest of the way, starting in Week 17 against the Jets. That said, he isn’t likely to carry enough upside to be of use in fantasy circles.

How much he will play remains to be seen after the Packers locked up a playoff berth with Detroit’s loss on Christmas. That said, the Packers can still clinch the NFC North with consecutive wins and consecutive losses by the Bears, which is the difference between home and road games to kick off the postseason.

Olave popped up on the team’s injury report as a Friday addition due to a back injury. Concerns about his status were raised when the team elevated a wide receiver on Saturday, although those worries ultimately appear to have landed unfounded. Olave is coming off a season-high 16 targets on his way to a 10-148-2 line against the Jets and can be started with confidence in fantasy Championships.

The Texans will be without both starting tackles for a Saturday showdown against the Chargers, a game with significant playoff implications for both teams. The game profiles as a tight defensive battle, although both teams carry enough firepower on offense to drive the scoring up if forced into a more aggressive stance.

Vidal was curiously left off the team’s announcement on social media but was confirmed to be out by ESPN’s Adam Schefter a couple minutes later. That certainly shakes things up for the Chargers. Rookie Omarion Hampton should be in line for all the volume he can handle as the Chargers fight to keep pace with the Broncos in the AFC West. Hassan Haskins should continue to operate in the primary change of pace role.

Adams has dealt with multiple hamstring issues in his age-33 season, making it likely he is held out for Monday Night Football in Week 17. The Rams have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations and are likely to take a cautious approach with their red zone weapon. Fantasy managers counting on Adams in Championship week are better off looking elsewhere for help at wide receiver unless all other options are exhausted.

London returned from a four-game absence in Week 16 to play 69% of the team’s offensive snaps. He logged a week of limited sessions before drawing the questionable tag for the team’s Week 17 meeting with the Rams on Monday Night Football. Fantasy managers can likely plan to start London in the Championship round as he should suit up, regardless of the fact he carries a designation through the weekend.

Johnson was added to the injury report late in the week with an illness and missed altogether Friday. The 24-year-old tight end won’t even travel with the team to Las Vegas this week. His absence thins out an already thin Giants tight end group, though it’s unlikely many fantasy managers were counting on Johnson after putting up a zero in Week 16.

Rapoport’s report comes on the heels of a report from NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco Friday essentially saying the same thing, though Rapoport explicitly states that Warner is ahead of schedule in his recovery from ankle surgery. While that’s great news, we’ve seen this song and dance before. Warner’s return would require him returning to play well ahead of his original injury timeline as well as a 49ers run to the NFC Championship game without him. It would be a great story, but remains a long-shot at best.

Per a source, “Warner could make a push to be available for the NFC Championship Game, if the 49ers are able to advance that far in the postseason.” 49ers GM John Lynch acknowledged that “it would be well ahead of the original timeline we were given,” but it is possible for Warner to return if he can meet the “objective measurements” placed in front of him by team doctors. Per Maiocco, “Lynch sounded more optimistic” than he had been previously, when discussing whether Warner could “play again this season.” Warner’s return is far from guaranteed, as is the 49ers’ theoretical playoff run, but this is now a story worth following. Stay tuned.